THE CAPE GOLDFIELD.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 496, 27 April 1869, Page 2

THE CAPE GOLDFIELD.

By tbe Bella Rose, wbich baa ar. rived at Melbourne from Port Natal, we have news from tbat Colony to the 25th of February. The diggings are situated at a distance of 800 to 1000 miles from Natal, and almost as little was known of them in Durban as in Melbourne. The St. Kilda, from Mel. bourne, had arrived, and the diggers whom she conveyed were not a little disappointed with the prospects before them. They had an interview with Mr Hartley—one of those on whose authority the first story as to the richness of the goldfields of the African interior was circulated—and they did not hesitate to express an opinion that] the rush was what in this Colony was! called " a store-keeper's rush." The greater number of the St. Kilda passengers, it was said, would return by ,her to Melbourne. The news, however, seemed to have created greater excitement in London and New York than it did in Melbourne. From both England and America ships with miners were expected to arrive. One speculator frem London had brought! out a quartz-crushing machine, and hej intended to make his way to the interior notwithstanding the unfavorable nature of the reports. Mr Baines, the artist to Dr Livingstone's expedition, was about to head a prospecting party to the country between the Limpofo and the Zambesi. Information had also been received at Durban that four vessels had been placed on the berth at Hamburgh to carry German; gold-diggers to the new field. One good thing, at least, is likely to arise out of this rush to Natal. That settlement has lately made good progress in sugar-growing, and the vessels which have sailed from Australia •will return with cargoes of that staple. The Bella Bose is one of them, the St. Kilda will be the next, and the Sarah Pile (which carried a number of miners from Sydney) will be the third. A new and important trade is thus likely to spring up.